Thornwick

1 The Farm

Thornwick was the ultima Thule of Angmering. An army of beggars could have lain there for years unknown to churchwardens and overseers, comfortably at home in their distant village. Stand at the northern boundary, and a short sprint away is the northern escarpment of the Downs, with a steep lane down Kithurst Hill to Storrington on the right, and another lane to the left dropping away to Parham. The southern extremity stood at the gates of Lee Farm on the one hand, and Wepham Down on the other.

In 1839 this was a large area of arable fields, and a solitary barn, occupied by Thomas Duke and not unexpectedly owned by the Duke of Norfolk. No less than 375 acres. Do not look for it today on maps of Angmering, it was swept away in the tidying up of parishes, and Angmering is set back a mile to Harrow Hill. In 1933 Lee Farm, directly to its east, was brought into Angmering parish from Clapham, and Thornwick given up.

The wick element of the name suggests an outlying farm, as it clearly was, but of Barpham to which it was joined by a narrow isthmus of land. From the 13th century it was owned by the Dunstanville family, and with that manor was attached to Ham, in 1321 held by Sir Thomas Tregoz of Goring. The excellent custumal of that date, being the only medieval survey of manors attached to modern Angmering, on record.

It does not appear to have passed down with Barpham or Ham for any great period. Coming into the hands of the Shelley family by the 16th century. In 1550 John Shelley of Michelgrove died, in possession of 'Land in Barham called Thornwick worth £4". [SRS 33 No 6]

The land continued in that family, and when in 1734 the tithes were leased to William Gratwicke, it was described more fully. How the area was so small is a matter unresolved.

" Thornweek lying in the parish of Angmering and Tything of Hamm being all or the greatest part arrable lands and containe by computation one hundred and sixty acres more or less, and the sheep downe parcell of the said lands containing by computation seventy acres more or less and the whole computed at upwards of fifty pounds p annum and are part and parcell of or are used with a farme called Lee Farme being the farme and estate of Sir John Shelley Baronet." [HC 533]

Thornwick was no doubt part and parcel of the Shelley estate that eventually came into the hands of the Duke of Norfolk in 1828.

With such an odd piece of land far from the centre of gravity in Angmering, difficulties with rates and tithes is all in the natural course of things. In 1608 Thomas Olliver of Clapham, had a dispute with the churchwardens concerning his tithes to the church, for Thornwick. Then in 1734 the tithes were leased to William Gratwicke, that is he had the trouble of collecting the tithes.

"Item the Tythes both great and small ariseing from certaine Lands called Thornweek lying in the parish of Angmering and Tything of Hamm being all or the greatest part arrable lands and containe by computation one hundred and sixty acres more or less, and the sheep downe parcell of the said lands containing by computation seventy acres more or less and the whole computed at upwards of fifty pounds p annum and are part and parcell of or are used with a farme called Lee Farme being the farme and estate of Sir John Shelley Baronet."

In general the occupants were tenants of Barpham, the French family being notable for several generations in the 18th century.